(Black PR Wire) What: 26th Annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival “Celebrates International Ladies of Jazz”

Who: Presented by MSM Arts United and host sponsor, The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc.

When: Thursday, February 23 through Sunday, February 26, 2023

Where: Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater, 819 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33136

About: The Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival is a four-day music festival, featuring the best jazz musicians in the world. This year #MMJF26 closes out Black History Month and ushers in Women’s History Month featuring some of jazz music’s most acclaimed female performers, including Endea Owens, Mariel Bildsten, Shirazette Tinnin, Tajae Veal, Jazmin Ghent, Nicole Yarling, Quiana Lynell, as well as The Legendary Melton Mustafa Orchestra, Mr. Entertainment Jesse Jones Jr., selected middle, high school and college bands, local bands, accomplished authors, artist, vendors and more.

For the eighth year, the Festival will be hosted by the Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc., at the 110-year old Historic Lyric Theater in Overtown. In its heyday, Overtown was called, “The Harlem of the South,” and was home to night life which rivaled the biggest, hottest clubs around the country. Musical greats such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin and more graced the stages of the nightclubs, theaters and hotels that lines Northwest Second Avenue, known then as “Little Broadway.”

Melton Mustafa, Jr., son of the festival’s founder and director, Melton Mustafa, Sr., says the festival is important to the community and a perpetuation of his family legacy. “This festival was very important to my father and my mother,” Melton Mustafa, Jr. said of his late parents Melton Sr. and Zakiyyah Mustafa. “Not only does it bring phenomenal jazz music to the historically Black neighborhood of Overtown every year, but the workshops and master classes offered to the students are valuable and top-tier experiences for any young musician to have access to.”

“Jazz is so much more than just music, it has been the soundtrack to many important moments in Black history, and tells the story of how music connects our people across the African Diaspora,” said Black Archives executive director, Kamila E. Pritchett.

“From the music and spoken word events, to the educational components--this festival offers everything a jazz lover could want,” Pritchett added. “It is an honor to be a supporter of this event and the Mustafa legacy.”

The festival opens with a night of live jazz and poetry, and continues with workshops and performances on Saturday, the festival ends with a red-carpet event and closeout concert. For tickets & more info, visit. https://MMJF26.eventbrite.com

The 26th Annual Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival Weekend Schedule

2/23       PRE-FESTIVAL MIXER @ DUNNS-JOSEPHINE HOTEL                                                         6PM-8PM

2/24       “LIVE ON THE PLAZA CONCERT” - LIVE JAZZ, POETRY, SILENT AUCTION, VENDORS   7PM-10PM

2/25       JAZZ WORKSHOPS, MASTERCLASSES & MEET THE ARTIST                                            8:50AM-4PM

2/25       COLLEGE ALL-STAR CONCERT (Broward College & University of Miami)                            2PM-4PM

2/26       MMJF25 RED CARPET EVENT & MELTON MUSTAFA JAZZ FESTIVAL CONCERT             5PM-9PM

Host Hotel – Dunns-Josephine Hotel
The host hotel for the Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival is the Historic Dunns-Josephine Hotel.
1028 NW 3 Ave.
Miami, Florida 33136
877-571-9311 or 513-477-7781 email staywithus@dunns-josephinehotel.com

For tickets & more info, visit https://MMJF26.eventbrite.com or www.meltonmustafajazzfestival.com

#MMJF26

Source: Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival